Safety of the lone togger ?

Never had any problems personally - shot a lot of major cities at night (Newcastle, Manchester, Salford ... and many abroad, LA, NYC ...).

I tend to find that swinging a tripod like a baseball bat and a Geordie accent is enough to keep them at bay!

Failing that, my advice would be to take a mate .... and make sureyou can run faster than they can!!

Anth.
 
tripod can be a very affective tool. specially if it has pointy legs for digging into grass. doesnt take a genius to figure out not to attack the guy with a big sharp stick.

but saying that ive never had any problems. only one i had was an over friendly old woman. she was giving me the usual, whats that, what does this do. back when the war was on etc.
i did my best to look interested and explain stuff to her. but i wanted to get my shot before i lost the chance. and she was standing in front of me. i asked her very politely to move to one side. as i was playing about with settings. she felt the urge on how to tell me to take the photo. after me explaining what i was doing to her. she must of blabbered on to me for about 20 minutes, before i had enough. hit the shutter button, took a crap shot. then packed up and said well goodbye.

but if ever confronted by a chav or ned as we call it in scotland. all you need to do is bamboozle him and he will be stuck for hours as you slyly walk away.
for example ask him what colour a smurf goes when you choke it. or what do they call there good plates in china. etc.
he will be pondering the answer for ages before he realises you have gone. then he will go drink some buckfast and bathe in his tracksuit
 
I only take what i need locally for what i intend to do.Like others im not a small person and im not bothered about confrontation i have some well known family members and friends i grew up with also .That is not the issue though if outnumbered give the kit up you are more important, the kit eventually if not insured can be replaced you cannot.We live in a society that now caters for the socially repressed, i.e. you had a camera they didnt and felt discriminated against.not the fact you scrimped scratched and saved for it. iwas out with wife and one of the dogs recently our large staffie. i was using my compact to take a few pics inbetween knocking stones with a putter, as we strolled.Two pcsos what are you doing, me a few pics ,oh and whats the club for. me if a gorilla can play the drums the dog can practice putting. respnse just take care please lot of gangs in area mmm, all about 70 eating ice creams.maybe if they kept shifting chavs, instead of bothering normal people, everyone would be safe out solo.
 
The Matt said:
I know what you mean. It would make me feel so much better if I knew my prospective mugger was clued up about the quality and value of camera kit. They'd know that mine isn't worth a second look :LOL:
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On the other hand, I hope maybe they don't realise how expensive it all is either? I only have a D40, no kit, I take it in the case in a regular back pack. I only venture as far as my local park and only get it out if there's a busy 'family' feel about the place. It's really frustrating but I'd never take it out alone in the evening, you're so distracted when taking photos.:runaway::runaway:
 
It's simple really, just be aware of whats going on around you, if youre being follwed ect. if you're going out at night, take backup, maybe someone to just shadow you, so any would-be attackers dont know the full story. and carry one of them rape alarm thingies????
Its common sense stuff i think
 
SimonTALM said:
What a stupid suggestion :wacky: I recall recently on a program on knife crime that said an individual is more likely to be stabbed with their own knife than someone elses!!!

Plus the chances are that the mugger has a bigger knife than yours (think crocodile dundee in reverse) or worse a gun :shrug:
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According to that philosophy, why punch back if their punches are going to be harder and heavier? Why run if they'll be able to run faster? Might as well roll over and die.

A stupid idea would be to knowingly go out in a dangerous place without any means of protection. I don't think the guy in the black hoodie with the Rambo knife is specifically after your D3 or 1DsMKII. Get real, at least you'll have more of a chance.

But I'm not saying carry a weapon with you in broad daylight in public places. That's overboard.

CraigF said:
As someone once said "They would need to prise it from my cold dead hands"

Sorry but no goddam Blue Monkey or Ned is taking Jack from me.
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Ditto.
 
Closest i've come to some chavs, when on my own, was i was taking some pics, and they were in this shed thing where no one else was getting drunk on cheap beer, and they came up to me.

Ended up having a laugh and a joke with them. Sometimes looks can be decieving. ;)
 
In answer to the OP, a good hefty monopod has a multitude of uses.....(y)
 
GarynLea said:
I recently went to do some town shots at 3 in the morning and popped into the local police station to let them know in case they spotted me on CCTV looking suspicious. They were very friendly and I'm sure if I had been female they'd have kept an extra watch with their cameras.
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This is probably 'best practice' for a multitude of situations.
 
Spray can of Ralgex.. simple to use and puts CS gas to shame.. I do actully have a bad back when it gets cold and a carry a can in the car in the door.. but its legal and .. well officer its for my back.. hit um once with that in the eyes they go down like a bag of snanners..
 
Markk said:
According to that philosophy, why punch back if their punches are going to be harder and heavier? Why run if they'll be able to run faster? Might as well roll over and die.

A stupid idea would be to knowingly go out in a dangerous place without any means of protection. I don't think the guy in the black hoodie with the Rambo knife is specifically after your D3 or 1DsMKII. Get real, at least you'll have more of a chance.

But I'm not saying carry a weapon with you in broad daylight in public places. That's overboard.
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I don't think I actually said I would simply give my camera away, there are many ways of getting out of tricky situations without using violience. Are you are seriously telling us that you would be prepared to get in to a knife fight and risk getting killed over a camera!!

As for the OP, I think more sensible advice would be to minimise the risks and take the only the kit you need in a bag that doesn't look particularly noticable (think camera wrapped in a jumper all held in an old rucksack). Always know who's about and if they are paying particular attention to you it's important to do this without looking concerned (i.e casually look about). If at any point you don't feel safe leave but do so confidently (muggers can smell fear). Insurance is also probably worth it so that if the worst happens you can just give them the kit knowing that all you need to do is report it and claim.

Let's face it the actual risk of being a victim of crime is actually quite small.
 
I was recently in Florence as part of our cruise holiday.
Some young muppet grabbed the neck strap of my 450D and tugged at it violently.
No way was I letting it go so I punched him twice and he fell to the floor.
I also considered sticking the boot in but decided that I didn't fancy spending any time in an Italian prison.

My other half, stepdaughter and her husband had already turned the corner before it happened.
When I caught up with them that they asked where I had been and I replied 'decking some muppet who tried to mug me for my camera'.
To say they were shocked is an understatement.

I'm 5ft 7", in my 40's and I've not been in a fight since I was at school.
There was no way the little s**** (skinny and mid 20's) was going to get his mitts on my camera.
There were plenty of warnings about pickpockets on the cruise and one or two fellow cruisers were victims but no one mentioned urchins trying to nick cameras!
 
JonClarke said:
I would never feel safe being out by myself with my camera gear, Especially where i live. Look young and ain't very big built so would look like an easy target.

Would love to do a bit of street photography at night but don't know anyone thats into photography round the luton area.
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I feel the same im only 5ft 3 and weigh 7 1/2 stone and would never go anywhere at night and sometimes even in the day on my own :shake:

At weekends my poor sister ends up being dragged around with me :LOL:

Tracy.
 
GarynLea said:
I recently went to do some town shots at 3 in the morning and popped into the local police station to let them know in case they spotted me on CCTV looking suspicious. They were very friendly and I'm sure if I had been female they'd have kept an extra watch with their cameras.
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Thats a good idea really:clap:

I only have one friend that is into photography but a lot of the time I am out on my own togging. I don't really feel too unsafe but not out at night too often:LOL: As for my gear, its all insured to thats peace of mind for me and one less thing to worry about. I am more concerned when I am out in the middle of nowhere with no mobile signal, just incase I injure myself.
 
I'll be honest because I started this thread.. it really should not be this way I read that most people have no problems but why should anyone be afraid to go anywhere they like ? Why are we so afraid of these people..? Why are these people around.. if you had cancer the doctor would do everthing in their power to destory it .. they wouldnt just sit back and say "hope it goes away" is not the fear of being mugged a cancer should we not try every method to iradicate it ?
 
We are living in a society, that some of us helped create. spectrums, then ps ones and upwards, rather than spend time out with them and instilling moral values . all in the name of peace and quiet.How many of us really know what our kids are up to and what peer pressure they are under from the herd culture.Also there are no longer any deterrents for the more aggressive.Heroes to some.Also we let the politically correct run all over us, the so called do gooders that do no bloody good . Until we say enough is enough ,which demonstrations are now helping to show, we're knackered , as at the end of the day you defend yourself, you end up waiting for an ambulance or a court date for assaulting the poor deprived little ***t and embarrasing him in public .
 
hi there
like MARKK i have toged one churchyard at night over at norwood green...
my asma kicks in at night so anyone seeing me scrabbling around a graveyard at two in the morning weezing would be more scared than i could ever be.
hahaha
mickytwoknives
 
SimonTALM said:
I don't think I actually said I would simply give my camera away, there are many ways of getting out of tricky situations without using violience. Are you are seriously telling us that you would be prepared to get in to a knife fight and risk getting killed over a camera!!
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I'm just saying I wouldn't hand over anything without a fight. Knife or first. But true, there are always other ways.

mickytwoknives said:
hi there
like MARKK i have toged one churchyard at night over at norwood green...
my asma kicks in at night so anyone seeing me scrabbling around a graveyard at two in the morning weezing would be more scared than i could ever be.
hahaha
mickytwoknives
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lol. I can only imagine what the local people were thinking when they were seeing random flashes go off between graves.
 
Im reading this thread with interest...

You know what got me interested in photography?

~~~~~~~~ wavey lines to set the seen ~~~~~~~~

I'm some what handy when it comes to dealing with the unruly, I've a SIA lvl4 badge (Doormen have a lvl3) and a shaved head, and even though due to my health I'm office bound these days, I still have the "look"

Towards the end of a friday night late shift a couple of the younger lads in the office asked if I would like to go out with them and do some night shooting, not really my thing but I had nothing better to do. I took a real interest in what they the did, how they made the pictures change dramticly with a flick of a dail... and a few months later I got my own gear...

What as these to do with the thread you ask...

Well the 2 guys had only asked me to come with them for the protection :)


My self though - I dont worry about going about to bad area's or night time, but I always tend to go out paired up any way.
 
The safest place I've ever felt whilst shooting at night is New York, even well off the beaten track. I had a wander around Bath at about 4am until sunrise once and that was fine as well, probably wouldn't do it in the evening there though.

On the other hand, I wouldn't dare go anywhere near my local park in the evening (I really wanted to when the funfair was in town with all the pretty bright lights), even if my partner was with me.

That said, I travel very light (never use a tripod) so it's not immediately obvious I'm a photographer anyway if I'm just walking between locations.
 
Craikeybaby said:
When I'm walking around town it is easy to spot the photogs - they are the ones with Lowe Pro bags - they just scream "I'm full of expensive camera gear".
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ahhhhhh yes but, how many non togs would recognise a Lowpro bag as such?
 
I go out on my own mostly and always feel safe but did have one worrying moment in a local park when a group of yobs started shouting abuse, I buggered off quick before they got too near.
Pete
 
Even in London I'm always aware of what's going on around me more when I carry the camera

Doubly so because I normally have my two kids with me when i shoot.

The cameras are insured and can be replaced, the kids cannot. Anyone wants my camera they can have it. (some days I say the same about the kids, but I don't really mean it :D:D:D)
 
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